Yarn bulking apparatus



Sept. 23, 1969 w, PARKER YARN BULKING APPARATUS Filed March 23. 1967 U.S. Cl. 281.6 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DHSCLQSURE A yarn bulking apparatus having a passage including an inlet and outlet end, an expansion chamber communicating with the outlet end, a steam chamber communicating with the inlet end having an intake remote from but aligned with the inlet end, and a steam nozzle communicating with the inlet end. Steam is supplied to the nozzle from a main supply duct and to the steam chamber from a secondary duct communicating with the main supply duct. The various elements are vertically aligned with yarn passing through the steam chamber, being propelled through the nozzle into the expansion chamber for bulking therein.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for bulking yarn.

The invention comprises a process for bulking yarn in which yarn is drawn through a passage by a steam jet into an expansion chamber which is held under low pressure, and the passage is maintained at such a temperature that the steam condenses.

The yarn may pass through a steam chamber immediately before the steam jet so that air is not entrained with the yarn in the jet. The steam chamber may he maintained at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.

The invention also comprises apparatus for bulking yarn comprisng a passage through which a yarn can be drawn by a steam jet and an expansion chamber into which the yarn and steam pass from the passage, the chamber having an outlet for the yarn and an outlet for water condensed from the steam.

The passage may be surrounded by a cooling jacket through which cold water is circulated in order to condense the steam.

The apparatus may comprise a chamber having an inlet for the yarn and opening to said passage, Which chamber can be filled with steam at a pressure slightly in excess of atmospheric. The steam chamber may be connected by a restricted steam duct to a duct feeding the steam jet. The steam chamber may be thermally insulated from its surroundings.

The steam jet may have an annular orifice surrounding a throughway for the yarn.

The inlet to the steam chamber, the steam jet, the passage and the outlet may be in line.

The jet, the passage and the outlet may be located in a vertical line, and the outlet may be uppermost.

The invention also comprises a yarn processing machine comprising apparatus for bulking yarn as herein defined. Such a machine may comprise means to feed the yarn to the apparatus and means to withdraw the yarn from the apparatus. Said withdrawing means may be adapted to withdraw yarn from the apparatus at a linear rate of travel less than the speed at which yarn is fed to the apparatus.

The machine may comprise means further to heat the bulked yarn after emerging from the outlet under controlled tension or controlled extension.

One embodiment of a yarn processing machine embodying apparatus according to the invention will now be deatent O scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus embodying the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a partly sectioned view of the jet.

The drawings illustrate apparatus 11 for bulking yarn 12 comprising a passage 13 through Which the yarn 12 can be drawn by a steam jet 14 and an expansion chamber 15 into which the yarn 12 and steam pass from the passage 13. The chamber 15 has an outlet 16 for the yarn and an outlet 17 for water condensed from the steam. Cooling tubes 13:: are arranged in the passage 13 and are connectible to a supply of coolant fluid such as cold Water whereby to condense the steam as it travels through the passage 13. The expansion chamber 15 also has an outlet 18 for connection to a vacuum pump 19 to maintain the chamber 15 under low pressure.

The apparatus also comprises a thermally insulated chamber 21 surrounding the jet 14- and having an inlet 22 for the yarn 12 and opening to said passage 13, which chamber 21 can be filled with steam at a pressure sligthly in excess of atmospheric. For this purpose, the steam chamber 21 is connected by a restricted steam duct 23 to a duct 24 feeding the steam jet with steam from a generator 25.

As detailed in FIGURE 2, the steam jet 14 has an annular orifice 26 surrounding a throughway 27 for the yarn 12 and conveniently comprises an external conical body 28 having an annular steam chest 29 fixed to its wider end and mounted on the duct 24 with passages 31 connecting the steam chest 29 to the interior of the conical body 28. Screwed into the body 28 is a smaller conical body 32 having the throughway 27.

The inlet 22 to the steam chamber 21, the jet 14, the passage 13 and the outlet 16 are located in a vertical line with the outlet 16 uppermost in a yarn processing machine comprising feed roller means 33 operable to withdraw yarn 12 from a package 34 and further feed roller means 35 to withdraw yarn from the apparatus 11 at a linear rate of travel less than that at which the yarn 12 is fed to the apparatus 11.

The machine further comprises means 36 to heat the bulked yarn after emerging from the outlet 16 under controlled extension, determined by further feed rollers 37 which feed the treated yarn to wind up means 38. Such further heating can dry off any moisture remaining in the yarn and can further set the yarn.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for bulking yarn, comprising first means defining a passage having an inlet end and an outlet end and adapted for passage of a yarn from the former to the latter of said ends; second means defining an expansion chamber communicating with said outlet end and arranged to receive yarn issuing therefrom; third means defining a steam chamber communicating with said inlet end of said passage and having an intake remote from but aligned with said inlet end so that a yarn may enter through said intake and pass into said inlet end; and fourth means operative for introducing steam into said steam chamber at a rate requisite for maintaining the same at a pressure in excess of ambient pressure, and for directing a jet of steam into said inlet end of said passage to thereby carry yarn through the latter and beyond said outlet end into said expansion chamber for bulking in the latter in response to termination of the motive power of said jet of steam on entry of the steam into said expansion chamber, said fourth means comprising a steam nozzle communicating with said inlet end, a main steam supply duct communicating with said nozzle for supplying steam thereto, and a secondary steam supply duct communicating with said main supply duct and with said steam chamber for supplying steam to the latter.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, said steam, nozzle having an annular orifice surrounding a throughway for the yarn.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means further to heat the bulked yarn after emerging from the expansion chamber.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising feed means for feeding yarn to said steam chamber, and Withdrawing means for withdrawing bulked yarn from said expansion chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said Withdrawing means are operative for withdrawing yarn at a linear rate of travel less than the speed at which yarn is fed.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said steam nozzle and said outlet end are aligned with one another and with said inlet end which is aligned with said intake.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said steam nozzle, inlet and outlet ends and intake are vertically aligned.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the outlet end is uppermost.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,045 9/1948 Jackson et al. 2,962,794 12/ 1960 Field. 3,005,251 10/ 1961 Hallden et al. 3,067,602 12/ 1962 Brunt 68S.5 3,156,028 11/1964 Weiss et al. 3,240,037 3/1966 Bittle et al 685.5 3,343,378 9/1967 Hayman 685.5 3,373,470 3/1968 Joly. 3,339,250 9/ 1967 Comolli et a1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 739,376 7/ 1966 Canada.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

